22. “And this is the favour
With which thou dost
Reproach me, — that thou
Hast enslaved the Children
Of Israel!”

23. Pharaoh said: “And what
Is the ‘Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds’?

24. (Moses) said: “The Lord
And Cherisher of the heavens
And the earth, and all between,
If ye want to be
Quite sure.”

25. (Pharaoh) said to those
Around: “Do ye not listen
(To what he says)?

26. (Moses) said: “Your Lord
And the Lord of your fathers
From the beginning!”

27. (Pharaoh) said: “Truly
Your apostle who has been
Sent to you is
A veritable madman!”

28. (Moses) said: “Lord of the East
And the West, and all between!
If ye only had sense!”

29. (Pharaoh) said: “If thou
Dost put forward any god
Other than me, I will
Certainly put thee in prison!”

30. (Moses) said: “Even if I
Showed you something
Clear (and) convincing?”

31. (Pharaoh) said: “Show it then,
If thou tellest the truth!”

32. So (Moses) threw his rod,
And behold, it was
A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

33. And he drew out his hand,
And behold, it was white
To all beholders!

SECTION 3.

34. (Pharaoh) said to the Chiefs
Around him: “This is indeed
A sorcerer well-versed:

35. “His plan is to get you out
Of your land by his sorcery;
Then what is it ye counsel?”

36. They said: “Keep him
And his brother in suspense
(For a while), and dispatch
To the Cities heralds to collect —

37. “And bring up to thee
All (our) sorcerers well-versed.”

38. So the sorcerers were got
Together for the appointment
Of a day well-known,

39. And the people were told:
“Are ye (now) assembled? —

40. “That we may follow
The sorcerers (in religion)
If they win?”

41. So when the sorcerers arrived,
They said to Pharaoh:
“Of course — shall we have
A (suitable) reward
If we win?”

42. He said: “Yea, (and more), —
For ye shall in that case
Be (raised to posts)
Nearest (to my person).”

43. Moses said to them:
“Throw ye — that which
Ye are about to throw!”

44. So they threw their ropes
And their rods, and said:
“By the might of Pharaoh,
It is we who will
Certainly win!”

45. Then Moses threw his rod,
When, behold, it straightway
Swallows up all
The falsehoods which they fake!

46. When did the sorcerers
Fall down, prostrate in adoration,

47. Saying: “We believe
In the Lord of the Worlds,

48. “The Lord of Moses and Aaron.”

49. Said (Pharaoh): “Believe ye
In Him before I give
You permission? Surely he
Is your leader, who has
Taught you sorcery!
But soon shall ye know!

50. “Be sure I will cut off
Your hands and your feet
On opposite sides, and I
Will cause you all
To die on the cross!”

51. They said: “No matter!
For us, we shall but
Return to our Lord!

52. “Only, our desire is
That our Lord will
Forgive us our faults,
That we may become
Foremost among the Believers!”

SECTION 4.

53. By inspiration We told Moses:
“Travel by night with
My servants; for surely
Ye shall be pursued.”

54. Then Pharaoh sent heralds
To (all) the Cities,

55. (Saying): “These (Israelites)
Are but a small band,

56. “And they are raging
Furiously against us;

57. “But we are a multitude
Amply fore-warned.”

58. So We expelled them
From gardens, springs,

59. Treasures, and every kind
Of honourable position;

60. Thus it was, but
We made the Children
Of Israel inheritors
Of such things.

61. So they pursued them
At sunrise.

62. And when the two bodies
Saw each other, the people
Of Moses said: “We are
Sure to be overtaken.”

63. (Moses) said: “By no means!
My Lord is with me!
Soon will He guide me!”

64. Then We told Moses
By inspiration: “Strike
The sea with thy rod.”
So it divided, and each
Separate part became
Like the huge, firm mass
Of a mountain.

65. And We made the other
Party approach thither.

66. We delivered Moses and all
Who were with him;

67. But We drowned the others.

68. Verily in this is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

69. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 5.

70. And rehearse to them
(Something of) Abraham’s story.

71. Behold, he said
To his father and his people:
“What worship ye?”

72. They said: “We worship
Idols, and we remain constantly
In attendance on them.”

73. He said: “Do they listen
To you when ye call (on them),
Or do you good or harm?”

74. They said: “Nay, but we
Found our fathers doing
Thus (what we do).”

75. He said: “Do ye then
See whom ye have been
Worshipping, —

76. “Ye and your fathers before you? —

77. “For they are enemies to me;
Not so the Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds;

78. “Who created me, and
It is He who guides me;

79. “Who gives me food and drink,

80. “And when I am ill,
It is He who cures me;

81. “Who will cause me to die,
And then to live (again);

82. “And who, I hope,
Will forgive me my faults
On the Day of Judgment.

83. “O my Lord! bestow wisdom
On me, and join me
With the righteous;

84. “Grant me honourable mention
On the tongue of truth
Among the latest (generations);

85. “Make me one of the inheritors
Of the Garden of Bliss;

86. “Forgive my father, for that
He is among those astray;

87. “And let me not be
In disgrace on the Day
When (men) will be raised up; —

88. “The Day whereon neither
Wealth nor sons will avail,

89. “But only he (will prosper)
That brings to God
A sound heart;

90. “To the righteous, the Garden
Will be brought near,

91. “And to those straying in Evil,
The Fire will be placed
In full view;

92. “And it shall be said
To them, ‘Where are
The (gods) ye worshipped —

93. “‘Besides God? Can they
Help you or help themselves?’

94. “Then they will be thrown
Headlong into the (Fire), —
They and those straying
In Evil,

95. “And the whole hosts
Of Iblīs together.

96. “They will say there
In their mutual bickerings:

97. “‘By God, we were truly
In an error manifest,

98. “‘When we held you as equals
With the Lord of the Worlds;

99. “‘And our seducers were
Only those who were
Steeped in guilt.

100. “‘Now, then, we have none
To intercede (for us),

101. “‘Nor a single friend
To feel (for us).

102. “‘Now if we only had
A chance of return,
We shall truly be
Of those who believe!’”

103. Verily in this is a Sign
But most of them
Do not believe.

104. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 6.

105. The people of Noah rejected
The apostles.

106. Behold, their brother Noah
Said to them: “Will ye not
Fear (God)?

107. “I am to you an apostle
Worthy of all trust:

108. “So fear God, and obey me.

109. “No reward do I ask
Of you for it: my reward
Is only from the Lord
Of the Worlds:

110. “So fear God, and obey me.”

111. They said: “Shall we Believe in thee when it is
The meanest that follow thee?”

112. He said: “And what
Do I know as to
What they do?

113. “Their account is only
With my Lord, if ye
Could (but) understand.

114. “I am not one to drive away
Those who believe.

115. “I am sent only
To warn plainly in public.”

116. They said: “If thou
Desist not, O Noah!
Thou shalt be stoned
(to death).”

117. He said: “O my Lord!
Truly my people have
Rejected me.

118. “Judge thou, then, between me
And them openly, and deliver
Me and those of the Believers
Who are with me.”

119. So We delivered him
And those with him,
In the Ark filled
(With all creatures).

120. Thereafter We drowned those
Who remained behind.

121. Verily in this is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

122. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 7.

123. The ‘Ad (people) rejected’
The apostles.

124. Behold, their brother Hūd
Said to them: “Will ye not
Fear (God)?

125. “I am to you an apostle
Worthy of all trust:

126. “So fear God and obey me.

127. “No reward do I ask
Of you for it my reward
Is only from the Lord
Of the Worlds.

128. “Do ye build a landmark
On every high place
To amuse yourselves?

129. “And do ye get for yourselves
Fine buildings in the hope
Of living therein (for ever)?

130. “And when ye exert
Your strong hand,
Do ye do it like men
Of absolute power?

131. “Now fear God, and obey me.

132. “Yea, fear Him Who
Has bestowed on you
Freely all that ye know.

133. “Freely has He bestowed
On you cattle and sons, —

134. “And Gardens and Springs.

135. “Truly I fear for you
The Penalty of a Great Day.”

136. They said: “It is the same
To us whether thou
Admonish us or be not
Among (our) admonishers!